Winchester 94 flatband front sight question

[K1500]

Hello, I have a 20" bbl Winchester 94 flatband, and I need a replacement front sight for the rifle. The front sight sits atop a standard ramp that appears to be silver soldered to the barrel in the standard fashion. The front sight proper sits in a standard doverail on the ramp.

I want a factory type gold bead replacement, as someone has filed the bead off of this sight in an attempt to make it look like a post. Does anyone know of the proper sight height for this rifle? In addition, does anyone know a good source for the sight? Thanks for the help.

I guess if I had the dovetail dimensions and sight height, I could pick any matching dimension front sight. I don't have calipers, so I have no way of measuring.

[K1500]

I am assuming one of these might work, I just have no idea which one.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearc ... ront+sight

I also am looking at this, but I can't tell if I need a 31N (that's my guess), a 26N, or perhaps even a 45W.

http://www.brownells.com/UserDocs/Misce ... ection.pdf

[Griff]

Midwest Gun Works may still have factory sights.

What exact front sight you need is dependent on which exact REAR sight you have. But, you can probably get close if you determine how much space you have between the bottom of the front sight dovetail and ¾" above the centerline of the bore.

You have the following choices:
65 U245300220 SIGHT FRONT, .260 HIGH, 44 REM, PACK RIFLE, 30-30 WIN $1.00
65 U245300230 SIGHT FRONT, .290 HIGH, PACK RIFLE, 44 REM $2.00
65 U345300250 SIGHT FRONT, .360 HIGH $10.00
65 U345303300 SIGHT FRONT, .406 HIGH, 24" RIFLE, 45 COLT $7.00
65 U345303730 SIGHT FRONT, .425 HIGH, 24" RIFLE, 44 REM $7.00
65 U345303370 SIGHT FRONT, .445 HIGH,TRAPPER (BB), 20" CARBINE, 357 MAG $7.00
65 U345304040 SIGHT FRONT, .450 HIGH, OCTAGON $13.00
65 U345303660 SIGHT FRONT, .470 HIGH, COMPACT, 357 MAGNUM $7.00
65 U345303650 SIGHT FRONT, .490 HIGH, COMPACT, 30-30 WIN, 24" RFL, 357 MAG $7.00
65 U345302240 SIGHT FRONT, .505 HIGH,TRAPPER & WRANGLER II $7.00
65 U345300890 SIGHT FRONT, .575 HIGH, DELUXE $12.00
65 U345300880 SIGHT FRONT, .575 HIGH, RANGER, 20" CARBINE, 30-30 WIN $7.00
65 U345302260 SIGHT FRONT, .590 HIGH, 24" RIFLE. 30-30 WIN $7.00

Ignore the prices, they're from 2005.

[Pete44ru]

I am assuming one of these might work, I just have no idea which one.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearc ... ront+sight

I also am looking at this, but I can't tell if I need a 31N (that's my guess), a 26N, or perhaps even a 45W.

http://www.brownells.com/UserDocs/Misce ... ection.pdf

FWIW:

An "N" designated sight means that the sight blade has a narrow-width male dovetail, about 1/4" wide to fit the Williams Shorty & some other sight ramps.

A "W" designated sight means that the sight blade has a very wide male dovetail, to fill the entire barrel dovetail of sights mounted directly in the barrel (no ramp)

Most other front sight ramps take a front sight blade with the "M" (medium) designation, of the proper height (.290" for your carbine, IIRC).

Calipers or a micrometer isn't needed for measurement - a simple ruler will do just fine.

I've long used a 6" metal machinist's rule, eyeballing the side marked in 1/10ths of an inch. (.290" is a bit less than 3/10"), but a kid's plastic school ruler can make do.

.

[1894c]

thank you for posting this info...i deeply appreciate the question and the answers that followed... :)

[K1500]

Thanks for the replys. I will pop it off and measure. A friend just let me know he has some calipers, so I will also measure with them. I appreciate all the information.

[K1500]

Update,

Well, no one can accuse me of being quick, but I finally put the Midway order together and got it done. My rifle had a damaged front sight and a damaged base. Someone mangled the sight itself, and the base appears to be leaning ever so slightly. The old front sight was literally in danger or falling out of the dovetail when the rifle was zeroed.

I measured the sight with a ruler as best I could and ordered a Williams 1/16 (the smaller size) gold bead .250 wide .290 tall. I ordered the narrow one in case I needed a bit of front windage adjustment, (the sight is narrower than the dovetail it fits in) and I ordered the small bead out of personal preference. I was torn between the .290 height and the .250 height, as my rifle sight measured between the two. Based on the info provided by Griff, I believe the factory sight was actually .260.

The sight went right on without a struggle. It took three shots at the range to get it zeroed at 100 yards. It would have only taken one, but I drifted the rear sight left in anticipation of needing a windage correction since the new sight was set to center. That proved unnecessary, and I had to drift the rear right back to where it was set before. Since the new sight was taller than the original, I had to go up with the rear two steps.

The rear elevation is now maxed out. Lucky for me, the rifle is now printing three shot groups dead center and about three inches high at 100 yards with 170 grain loads. This is my prefered zero on almost all my rifles. I managed to get the rifle to zero with the front sight centered on the dovetail and fairly minor windage adjustments to the rear. In retrospect, I believe the .250 height sight would have left me closer to mechanical center on the rear when zeroed.

The new sight has restored this flatband from an emergency backup rifle to a front line deer rifle for me. I feel better knowing the gun is now zeroed with the sight in its proper place on the dovetail. Thanks to all for their advice on sights.

[Malamute]

Your rear sight should have some elevation adjustment also. It should have a small insert in the center, held by a very small screw. It can be loosened up and moved to get a finer zero, but it sounds like you are happy where its at.

FWIW, Madis, in The Winchester Book, stated that earlier rifles were intended to be zerod for 50 yards on the lowest step of the elevator, and each step was a 50 yard increase in range, out to 250 or 300 yards, depending on which elevator. The sliding piece in the rear sight can be used to fine tune that.

I zero'd a 94 rifle that way, setting the sight on the lowset step, and filing the front blade to zero at 50 yards. I can raise the elevator to its highest step and hit the 300 yard plate pretty easily by holding right on it.

[K1500]

Thanks for the tip on the elevator calibration,I haven't hear that before. That is pretty neat and makes sense if you thnk about it. A lot of good thought went into these rifles.